I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 25

 

It was still midday with the sun high in the sky.

 

Soldiers burst into the Golden Star Trading Company, which had been enjoying a rare moment of quiet.

 

“Search everywhere!”

“Turn this place upside down!”

 

Their actions showed no respect as they smashed and destroyed various items while searching for something.

 

Naturally, the Golden Star Trading Company didn’t just stand by and watch.

 

Miril, who had been picking up snacks in the break room and was startled by the noise, rushed out in protest.

 

“Wait, hold on! What is this…!”

“Move her aside.”

 

The Holy Knights in pure white armor pushed Miril away.

 

Miril fell to the floor, her face contorting in pain. Just as she was about to get up and protest again, Dahan urgently shouted.

 

“Stop! What’s going on here? I thought the inspection of our staff was already finished.”

“Who are you?”

“Dahan. Son of the Golden Star Trading Company owner and current Deputy Manager of the Golden Star Trading Company.”

 

When the Knight Commander heard the introduction and smiled coldly, Dahan felt goosebumps rising on his body.

 

“So you’re the one in charge?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then let me ask you. Do you know someone named Jude?”

“He’s one of our staff members, but…”

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t kno— Gack…!”

 

The Knight Commander approached Dahan without hesitation and grabbed his throat with one hand, lifting him up.

 

“You’d better think carefully before you speak. Your answer will determine the future of both you and your trading company.”

 

In unbearable pain, Dahan struggled and thought.

 

‘Should I have held that company dinner?’

 

He wanted to know where Jude was.

 

More than anyone else.

 

* * *

 

-It’s here.

“Beyond this door…”

 

Could that place I saw before be there?

 

After catching my breath from running, I opened the door, and scorching heat that seemed like it would melt my entire body poured out from inside.

 

What I could see beyond the flames was a face flushed red from the heat.

 

“If only this… if only the seal could be broken…”

 

The Trading Company Owner was staring only at the furnace, not even noticing that someone had intruded into his space.

 

-He’s completely bewitched.

“Bewitched?”

-Yes. Valuable treasures have magical power. It’s dangerous for those who aren’t qualified.

“Magical power, you say…”

 

Unlike mages who use atmospheric mana as it is, it was the power of Dark Mages who create it by processing magic cores.

 

It was one of the tricks to imitate the demons of the Demon Realm.

 

Did this mean that all valuable treasures originated from the Demon Realm?

 

-It’s completely different. You could see it as a kind of curse. The hearts of those who have desired treasures for long ages become embedded in them, giving them power of their own.

 

The Demon Lord said it was different, but in some ways, it seemed similar. Especially in how it bewitched humans.

 

“I wasn’t wrong.”

 

The sight of the Trading Company Owner muttering with a dazed expression added conviction to that thought.

 

“…”

-What are you trying to do?

“Excuse me.”

 

I slowly approached the Trading Company Owner and spoke to him.

 

“What exactly wasn’t wrong?”

“…”

“Do you know what’s happening upstairs right now?”

“I wasn’t wrong. If only the seal could be broken, something like a trading company…”

 

Was that an answer to my question, or was he just muttering while trapped in the curse?

 

Then the Trading Company Owner poured a box of flame stones that had been placed beside him into the furnace.

 

I stepped back momentarily from the explosively intensifying flames, but the Trading Company Owner didn’t move at all and just kept staring at the furnace.

 

When I tried to speak to him again, the Demon Lord stopped me.

 

-Stop it. That won’t be enough for them to hear.

“…So, what’s the plan now?”

 

I knew I had to quickly retrieve the Eternal Ice.

 

With all the forces in the capital searching for me. The soldiers would have already stormed the trading company, and it was obvious this place would soon be discovered too.

 

But the furnace containing what I needed to retrieve was blazing so fiercely it seemed like what a pit of fire in hell might look like.

 

The moment I stuck my hand in to pull out the Eternal Ice, it would be thoroughly cooked. I didn’t know any magic that could extinguish the fire.

 

-If you apply Atmosphere Manipulation Magic, extinguishing fire isn’t difficult, but it would still be too much for you.

“Put out the fire with strong wind?”

-The opposite. The air within a certain distance around the furnace… Hmm. This doesn’t seem like the right time to explain.

 

The Demon Lord stopped his explanation, thought for a moment, then changed the subject.

 

-There are several ways to break the seal. Thoroughly analyze the magic formula and break it, shatter it with overwhelmingly strong power, or fulfill the conditions set when creating the seal. The first two are…

 

The Demon Lord drew out his words with a mocking tone.

 

Naturally, I could sense what he was trying to say. It was obvious he was going to say it was beyond my abilities.

 

“What’s the condition?”

-It’s much easier than the other conditions. Sacrifice.

“Sacrifice?”

-Yes. Someone offers their own life and soul to break the seal.

 

It was a condition so filled with malice that it naturally made me frown.

 

The Demon Lord called it an easy task, but it couldn’t possibly be as simple as he made it sound.

 

No matter how valuable a treasure might be, if you’re not alive, it’s no different from being worthless. Who would willingly sacrifice themselves to break the seal?

 

-Your mana has recovered sufficiently, hasn’t it?

“Yes.”

 

On the way here, thanks to following the Demon Lord’s guidance, I hadn’t encountered any soldiers. Naturally, there was no need to use magic, and most of my mana had recovered.

 

Under normal circumstances, it would have been impossible, but the effects of my training to increase recovery speed were showing.

 

-Then, hide yourself.

 

As soon as he finished speaking, noise could be heard approaching.

 

Before I could understand what he meant, I reflexively hid behind the furnace.

 

“To hide such facilities underground. Are they truly followers of demons?”

“No, this has nothing to do with demons…”

“Shut up, wench.”

 

The door on the opposite side from where I entered opened, revealing multiple soldiers and Paladins.

 

“…!”

 

While hiding myself once more with Deception Magic, what caught my eye was the woman held in the Paladin’s grasp.

 

A familiar voice, swaying blonde hair.

 

Miril cried out with a pained expression.

 

“Father, run away. These people are crazy!”

“Calling the Goddess’s knight crazy. This wench has been properly bewitched by demons. Hey, hold onto her.”

“Yes.”

 

The Paladin at the front pushed Miril roughly to the soldiers behind him, then approached the Trading Company Owner.

 

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“….”

“What is this? Dark Mages’ magic artifacts? Items for human sacrifice?”

“….”

 

However, the Trading Company Owner didn’t respond and was trying to pick up a new flame stone.

 

The Paladin’s eyes twitched as if displeased at being ignored, then grabbed his arm.

 

Only then did the Trading Company Owner react and turn around. But his eyes held none of the vitality they had when looking at the furnace.

 

“Hey, you bastard…”

“Sir Dunkail. Even so, you should be careful. If this is a Dark Mage’s lair, there’s no telling what kind of devices might be set up.”

 

At the elderly Priest’s voice, the Paladin’s expression twisted even more as he shook off his hand.

 

“Archbishop…”

“I don’t particularly sense any ominous mana, but still. Let me see, this is…”

 

With a seemingly benevolent smile, the Priest examining the inside of the furnace showed a subtle expression.

 

“Ice?”

“…!”

 

At those words, strength returned to the Trading Company Owner’s face.

 

‘As if he’d regained his stolen soul… No, what do I do now?’

 

According to the Paladin’s words, that old man was an Archbishop. One of the highest-ranking Priests in the Religious Order.

 

Most of my power was concentrated on the Military Spirit. But the opponent wasn’t good. Could the Military Spirit really withstand that old man’s spells?

 

Moreover, that Paladin standing beside him. His face looks familiar.

 

-That’s the guy who was chasing you last time. The commander of the Holy Knight Order, perhaps. Just wait for now.

‘Wait?’

-Didn’t I tell you? Valuable treasures have mana.

 

Just as I thought I couldn’t understand what plan he had in mind.

 

“I, I can’t let you take this away from me!”

 

A loud cry burst from the Trading Company Owner’s previously closed mouth. The Knight Commander and priest took defensive positions, but.

 

“Ah, father…!”

 

The Trading Company Owner threw himself into the blazing furnace.

 

Perhaps no one expected such an action, as everyone just watched without being able to react.

 

“What the…”

 

As his flesh and muscles melted away and his entire body burned, the Trading Company Owner didn’t scream.

 

Whether he was still alive or already dead was impossible to tell.

 

The only certainty was that he had definitely touched the Eternal Ice.

 

-Now’s the time. Run.

 

Suddenly, tremendous cold began swirling from the furnace that had been emitting heat.

 

Crack-

 

Immediately after, the sound of cracks forming in the walls and ceiling could be heard…

 

“This is…”

“It’s collapsing…!”

 

The underground chamber collapsed.

 

The Paladins deflected the falling stones while wrapping their bodies in white aura, but the soldiers whose bodies were frozen by the cold couldn’t even dodge and were crushed.

 

The space instantly became a scene of chaos.

 

But thanks to that, I was able to safely reach the Eternal Ice.

 

The ice fragment reflecting the now reddened sunlight. It felt as if it was completely cut off from the noisy surrounding space.

 

-I taught you Spirit Summoning last time, so this time I’ll teach you what comes next.

 

Just obtaining the Eternal Ice wouldn’t change the current situation.

 

The Holy Knight Order and Archbishop were right in front of me, and there was no way to deal with them.

 

The Demon Lord must have a plan to break through this moment.

 

-Spirit Summoning.

 

But that wasn’t really important.

 

-Remember what I said? Absorbing souls makes your vessel larger, and you have to fill the contents yourself. But Spirit Summoning is a bit different.

 

I bent down and picked up the Eternal Ice.

 

The tremendous cold that had frozen the surroundings. But surprisingly, the hand holding the Eternal Ice felt no coldness at all.

 

-You pour the contents along with the vessel into your own vessel. Though it’s temporary, depending on which soul you use, it can display great power.

 

A beat later, I understood the Demon Lord’s words.

 

If the soul used for Spirit Summoning was larger than my own soul, my soul would be damaged. Thanks to absorbing many souls so far, I probably didn’t need to worry much, but…

 

Just this morning, hadn’t I absorbed all the souls I had?

 

-No, there should be one more. A soul more valuable than anything else.

 

The Demon Lord said with a chuckle. An unpleasant feeling arose in my ear, like a snake flicking its tongue.

 

-Use me. I’ll break through this crisis myself.

 

Could I really remain safe using the Demon Lord’s soul?

 

I didn’t want to be manipulated by him at a time like this. Wasn’t this a scheme for him to resurrect in my body at this opportunity?

 

…Perhaps it was simply that the Demon Lord was captivated by this treasure’s mana, as he had said.

 

-You bastard, don’t tell me…

 

Under a slightly excited mood, my mind began working faster than ever before.

 

Previously, the Demon Lord had said that if the Military Spirit touched the Eternal Ice, it would suffer great damage. That was probably referring to the seal rather than the Eternal Ice itself.

 

This thought became certainty due to the faint Soul Fragments still lingering around the Eternal Ice.

 

The magic circle filling the ground beneath my feet.

 

-I never taught you this kind of magic… Wait, this is!

 

I had already experienced modifying known magic circles to create new magic.

 

-This is impossible. Such a magic formula!

 

I couldn’t do something I knew nothing about, but if it was just a slight modification…

 

“Mana? Knight Commander. Is that person the Dark Mage you were looking for?”

“You bastard!”

 

The Knight Commander, who had just realized my presence, shouted and charged at me.

 

He was certainly threatening, but for some reason, it didn’t bother me at all.

 

Above the completed magic circle, I summoned a Military Spirit.

 

-Kii?

 

I designated the Military Spirit, not myself, as the subject of the Soul Magic, and into its mouth…

 

“Eat it.”

-No! That’s the Holy Sword’s…!

 

I shoved the soul in my hand, the Eternal Ice, into it.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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